Fireflies
by Servamp of Mischief
Summary: Mahiru ends up in a dream that's connected to Kuro's childhood and a certain demonic plush.


_Well it's been a long time since I've done a fanfic for this Servamp and I gotta say I miss this. I haven't been writing much since my Grandma's death and I really hope I can finish the other fanfics I've left unfinished, so please don't go too hard on me. _

* * *

Mahiru walked aimlessly for what felt like hours down a green path. All around him were trees and nights grasshoppers under the moon. Honestly he would say it's a beautiful sight if he knew where he was going or the purpose of this dream. He kept walking until he saw a light in the distance.

"Finally I hope something happens." he sighed.

The Eve increased his pacing and parted some bushes to get a clearer picture. He really didn't expect what he saw, the light source has been fireflies fluttering and blinking, illuminating the flowery area. They brought to life the swirling shadows gathering them carefully not to tarnish their glow.

What brought true aw to the boy was the fact that it was the Kuro's demon orchestrating the show. From behind the bush, Mahiru can see a jar in its pudgy paws and Chrysanthemum flowers wrapped by its stitched tail. The shadows herded the fireflies into the jar while another tendril sealed it tight with a holed lid.

Mahiru leaned in closer, was it smiling?

That action rustled the leaves, alerting a twitch of the ears and for the briefest moment brown met squiggles red before the demon skipped off.

"Hey wait!" he called and went after it.

The squeaks every step the creature seemed to produce only became more frequent. He followed to the best of his ability, straining his ears until he came to a house. It was a simple one story brick house in the middle of the forest -strangely enough- with no sighs of the residents being awake.

The squeaking stopped, but taping of glass against glass caught his attention. When he rounded to the side of the house, Mahiru found the demon swaying and tapping the glass on the ledge of a window.

"**Waky, Waky~ you can't leave me out when I brought gifts for you~**" it sang, the light from the jar making it's stitched grin seen.

Within moments the window was opened and it's grin grew wider.

"You're the one who jumped out Black Cat… Why do you insist on me seeing the fireflies?" came a dulcet young voice that sounded a bit strained.

Black Cat? That's the demon's name? Mahiru has more questions in his mind that he wanted answered, but all the words caught in his throat when he saw the boy on the other side of the window.

His eyes widened, then realization struck him like he should have known this from the beginning. The boy, no the child inside the room is Kuro. The Eve can see from the light that he looks to be about twelve years old, his light blue hair catching the yellow light, and there were no bags under his eyes like Kuro. His eyes were innocent blue instead of the guarded red he was so used to. This must be Kuro's memories of when he was human.

"**And have all this fun for myself? No way,**" Black Cat countered and hopped inside the room.

Mahiru entered soon after with one leg after the other and ducking in. The child version of Kuro seemed to huddle besides his large bookshelf filled with scrolls and leather bound books as Black Cat deposited it's gifts on his lap.

Kuro wrapped his slightly trembling hands on the jar, holding it close to his face, letting Mahiru get a better look at the bluenette. He could see thin arms swathed in bandages and a patch behind his neck, the Eve almost feared what might be hidden under his long tunic that's far too large for a child.

Despite it all, his innocent blue - not red - eyes still held wonder at the bio-luminescent beings flickering in the jar. Catching the demon's knowing smirk he turned his head away and placed the jar on the floor, then inspected his next gift.

"Were the flowers really necessary?"

"**Yes~ I wanted to give my condolences for you to feel better~**"

"It's consolation Black Cat, you say condolence when someone dies,"

"**Oh…**"

The boy rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly as if this was a daily occurrence. The demon just scratched it's head with its spear shaped tail and hopped over to the jar, Kuro watched it with juvenile skepticism, looking like he wanted to snatch the jar before the demon can cause mischief. Only he wasn't fast enough.

Black Cat used it's shadows to open the jar, letting the fireflies out and flicker around the room. Kuro didn't even have the will to glare at the plush upon the light show before him, a smile graced his lips when one of the glowing insects nested on his bangs and a few making way around Black Cat. The child's eyes sparkled in the light, catching how the fireflies formed over the demon's head making him stifle a soft laugh behind his hand.

"**Hm?**" the doll tilted its head, "**what's so funny?**"

The Eve caught on too and couldn't help a snicker at the irony.

"The fireflies formed a halo over your head, must be the world's way of acknowledging you as my guardian angel." Kuro pointed out. The doll in turn pouted.

"**Meanie." **Black Cat whined, shaking it's head free of the pests like it was embarrassed by the implication.

Not being able to hold it in anymore, the bluenette laughed at the disgruntled cat plush.

It was a foreign sound to Mahiru's ears, finding both happiness and sadness at this moment. What happened to Kuro that it took away even his ability to laugh openly at little things like this?

Tragically, the moment was short lived when Kuro suddenly started violently coughing and clutching the fabric over his chest. His body trembled in pain.

"Kuro!"

Mahiru hurriedly knelled beside him and tried to help him sit up right, only for his hand to go through.

Black Cat's stitched mouth was frowning deeply as it worries for the boy on the opposite side of him. It looks around the room, only briefly staring where Mahiru was before darting to some other part.

Footsteps against wood approached and like that all the light was escaping, flowing out the window. It would have been resplendent if the atmosphere wasn't growing constricting with each step. The fireflies left because they were frightened.

Mahiru got up, hand over his tattoo, ready to summon his lead if worse comes to worse.

"####?"

Mahiru heard a voice in the beyond the door, but he mostly could make out static. His heart clenched when he saw Kuro visibly flinch and curl up with Black Cat now in his arms.

A figure emerged from the door, his image scratched out and unrecognizable. The only thing that makes him distinguishable as male was his tone of voice. The Eve maintained his stance in front of Kuro, but the same thing happened again. The man walked through him like he was air. Wide eyed he turned around to the kneeling man before Kuro who was holding the plush close. His blue eyes quivered, but struggled to not show fear.

"Are you alright ####? Is the medicine I gave you causing pain?" he asked in a fatherly way, petting his hair. Mahiru didn't miss how Black Cat's tail flicked at the action.

"It… Hurts…" the boy whimpered, hugging it tighter. Shakily pulling it's ear when it looked like it wanted to retort.

"I know my son," the man embraced his small stiff form and ruffled his hair, he sounded caring, "I wish I didn't have to do this, but it's necessary to ensure your future."

"I… I understand…" Kuro whispered subdued, rubbing a stitched ear to quell the demon.

"Can you walk?" the man examined the child and hummed when he received a nod. "Good, I came here to give you another dose, I know it hurts but please bare with it ####... Your body will soon grow used to it.'

"Y-yes… Father…" his voice hollowed.

His small hand took the blurred, scratchy black one larger than his own and stumbled after him. Black Cat left behind on the floor with Chrysanthemum flowers scattered around it.

The demon growled and was about to speak when the man's eyes became more visible to Mahiru. They were ice cold blue, giving no warmth to the creature if it dared go against his wishes. Black Cat was shaking out of frustration, wanting so badly to tear into the man before he hurts Kuro anymore, but stopped when it's name was called and squiggly eyes met warm blue.

"I-it's alright Black Cat…" Kuro forced a reassuring smile that still showed pain, "Father… He only wants… what's b-best for me… I'll be back."

With that they continued out the door, melting into darkness.

"Wait Kuro, don't go with that man!" Mahiru tried to pull the bluenette away, back to the room where he could be safe, away from the oppressive darkness, but all his hand did was faze through him. He was stymied when the door closed behind them and he couldn't even turn the rigid knob.

He grunted and slammed his fist at the door, wanting to yell, yet that plan was cut short by a voice.

"**You really shouldn't be here Ma~hi~ru~**"

The brunet jumped and turned around, not wanting his back turned to the speaker. It stood in the same spot the child version of Kuro left the demon who was now holding a withered flower and jar in both paws as they speckled out of existence along with their surroundings. The room broke into fragments.

The sound of a lock clicked and they both were facing a chained black cube that contains the memory they were in a moment ago.

Mahiru looked at the cat plush, seeing how it was more solemn now compared to its usual vexing nature. Eyes in worry, he opened his mouth to ask something, but the cat demon beat him to it.

"**I sent Sleepy Ash's consciousness to another dream before this one turned into any more of a nightmare,**" Black Cat reassured, "**he is currently in one of those video game based dreams he loves so much.** **I would've pulled him out before **_**he **_**got there if some nosy Eve wasn't there."**

The last sentence was muttered resentfully, but the human didn't question it. Black Cat can still feel though Kuro's bond that he was still curious and the fact that it can even feel the thrum of the contract growing beyond it's control makes its insides churn. Silence was shared among them for a while before Mahiru built the courage to speak.

"That's good," the Eve sighed in relief that Kuro got out of there. Now there's the matter of what happened in the dream. "So, ah… Your name is Black Cat?"

"**Don't ask questions you already know the answer to~ or do you want to take another peak to see the rest~**" it's cheerful scathing words came back with weight to them, almost like the demon was angry at him. It pointed at another box. "**Why not that one over there, I bet if you summon your lead you can easily break and see when Ku~ro~ became a Servamp~!**"

"Hey I would never-"

"**Oh I know, Why don't you order Ku~ro~ to tell you? Your bond has surely grown as an Eve powerful enough to control their Servamp, I bet you can force him to tell you all his deepest darkest secrets until you satisfy your curiosity."**

His fist clenched as be wanted to angrily deny all its accusations, but he stopped himself and breathed. He saw from the memory that this demon obviously cares for Kuro's well being, somehow he understands Black Cat more than before.

"I know what you're doing."

"**Really now?**"

"You're upset that my bond with Kuro grew strong enough that it can surpass even your control, that Kuro trusts me to to an unconscious level, but you don't have to be scared Black Cat. I swear, I'll never betray either you or Kuro's trust, that I'll try my best at making happy memories for you two." he smiled purely, meaning what he said.

Black Cat was stuck by the boy's sincerity, not knowing if it's the demons connection to the contract or something else. Why it feels like it could trust this Eve out of all the others Sleepy Ash had in the past?

"_Ah, so this is why he makes you happy Sleepy Ash… he's too much, even for me to handle…" _despite itself the demon smiled too, but turned around before the other could see. "**Humph, fine, but don't be entering our dream memories next time, just think that you want to be out and your out."**

"So that's how that works," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Thank you Black Cat I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time."

"**Don't call me that…**" it grumbled childishly, cause the Eve to laugh and the plush pouted.

Suddenly he felt evanescent as he looked at himself and saw that he was becoming transparent, fading away to the tug of reality.

"**Looks like your waking up,**" Black Cat informed in a lighter tone while waving both paws at him, "**goodbye for now~!"**

* * *

The daylight rays hit his face and coaxed him to open his lids. The human couldn't believe what he just experienced, but knowing what his life turned too since he brought in a black cat and named him Kuro, he can't pass it off as a dream.

Getting up and stretching his arms over his head, Mahiru looked to the cat bed on the floor where the vampiric fur ball was currently resting and mumbling about his pillow quest to himself. He still had so many questions, none of which he dared to ask unless Kuro was ready to tell him voluntarily even if the demon confirmed that the Servamp trusts him more now.

It's around that time of the year, maybe he could convince some of Kuro's siblings and their Eve's to join in on the fun. There's much to plan in catching fireflies, but it's worth it if he could make more happy memories for his Servamp and to extension Black Cat as well.


End file.
